Doonesbury Ultrasound 'Rape' Cartoon Series Stirs Controversy; Newspapers Spike

The last time newspapers spiked leftist Garry Trudeau’s political cartoon series Doonesbury was in 1985 when he parodied the pro-life film documentary, The Silent Scream, which showed an actual abortion. Now that one must have been a hoot.

But Trudeau maintains passing up the transvaginal ultrasound = rape meme “would have been comedy malpractice,” as quoted by UPI. Again, more abortion humor.

The story, from Gawker:

Political comic strip Doonesbury will debut an abortion storyline next week, with a particular focus on the Texas law requiring pregnant women to receive a transvaginal ultrasound and then wait 24 hours before having an abortion.

Some papers will opt not to run the strip due to its explicit and controversial content. The storyline involves a woman going in for an abortion and being sent to the “shaming room” where she’s asked, “Do your parents know you’re a slut?”

I wrote last week that feminists have dug themselves into a hole, because the abortion procedure itself comes a lot closer to rape than a benign transvaginal ultrasound, which Planned Parenthoods do anyway.

Trudeau makes my point. At right is a frame from his series, indicating transvaginal ultrasounds hurt, which they do not, but nevertheless, how can one look at that graphic and not think  how much worse the upcoming abortion will hurt?

The storyline for that day’s cartoon, from JimRomenesko.com:

Thursday: In the stirrups, she is telling a nurse that she doesn’t want a transvaginal exam. Doctor says “Sorry miss, you’re first trimester. The male Republicans who run Texas require that all abortion seekers be examined with a 10″ shaming wand.” She asks “Will it hurt?” Nurse says, “Well, it’s not comfortable, honey. But Texas feels you should have thought of that.” Doctor says, “By the authority invested in me by the GOP base, I thee rape.”

Furthermore, as one pro-abortion commentator wrote in Slate:

Since most abortions take place in the first trimester of pregnancy, many of these ultrasounds are performed with a transvaginal probe…..

But now that women have heard abortion supporters describe this form of ultrasound as “rape,” will more of them be terrified when they arrive at a clinic and are informed they will have such a procedure? Or might they be scared off altogether? Will abortion clinic staff who perform the ultrasound be seen as “rapists,” as the provider I mentioned earlier worried?

Trudeau clearly feeds the fear.

Other strips from the week do not bode well for the abortion industry to persons who take time to ponder them. For instance, the subliminal message here is that contraceptives fail:

Tuesday: He asks her if this is her first visit to the center, she replies no, that she’s been using the contraceptive services for some time. He says, “I see. Do your parents know you’re a slut?”

And here that the blob tissues is actually a baby:

Friday: Doctor is explaining that the Texas GOP requires her to have an intimate encounter with her fetus. He begins describing it to her. Last panel, he says, “Shall I describe it’s hopes and dreams?” She replies, “If it wants to be the next Rick Perry, I’ve made up my mind.”

And here that there is a profit motives behind abortion services:

Saturday: Back in the reception area, she asks where she goes now for the actual abortion. Receptionist tells her there’s a 24-hour waiting period: “The Republican Party is hoping you get caught in a shame spiral and change your mind.” Last panel: She says, “A final indignity.” Receptionist replies, “Not quite. Here’s your bill.”

Far be it from me to recommend abortion strategy, but I’m not thinking this overall narrative is smart.